


Just Like Back Then, Except There's You

by soclosebutyetsofar



Series: 9-1-1 Lone Star Week 2020 [4]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Building Collapse, Flashbacks, M/M, big fire - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:28:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24036643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soclosebutyetsofar/pseuds/soclosebutyetsofar
Summary: Day 4 of 9-1-1 Lone Star Week 2020 is here!The 126 gets called to a collapsed shopping mall where a fire has started. TK gets caught up with memories from his first call. Carlos is there to save the day.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: 9-1-1 Lone Star Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729090
Comments: 4
Kudos: 103
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star Week





	Just Like Back Then, Except There's You

**Author's Note:**

> This one was inspired by a real life fire that happened at a school's gym in Germany. Only parts are similar though.
> 
> Theme was Action & Adventure, prompt: "What's your emergency?"
> 
> I also feel like I have to apologize in advance, because I feel like I can't write Action.  
> I still hope you enjoy it, though! :D
> 
> @spacedoutlesbian over on Tumblr has done a stellar job reading over this fic. Thank you for your work! :) All remaining mistakes are mine.
> 
> I think I have to insert a quick CW: flashbacks and insecurities are part of this fic. In case that is something you get triggered by, you might want to read this fic with caution.

The call comes in at 4 pm on a Saturday afternoon. Grace takes it and says the oh-so familiar line, “9-1-1, **what’s your emergency**?”. Simultaneously, at least five of her colleagues pick up the phone as well. That, Grace knows, is never a good sign.

“Oh my god. It collapsed!” a young female voice yells. Grace can tell that she’s crying.

“Miss, calm down please. Can you tell me where you are?” Grace asks soothingly.

“I’m at the shopping mall in North Lamar. It collapsed!”

“The shopping mall collapsed? The one on North Lamar Boulevard?” Grace makes sure she heard right but she’s already typing in the address. There aren’t a lot of other options so far north.

“Yes, that one. It just crumpled. Oh my gosh, there are so many people in there! You have to send someone, please!” she can hear the sob over the line.

“I will ma’am, there are already on their way. Are you hurt?”

“What? No, I’m fine! Tell them to hurry!” 

“I will. Do you want me …” but Grace doesn’t get to offer to stay on the phone with the woman, because she’s already hung up. 

“Oh, well.”

“Grace, was that call about the building collapse at the mall?” Zach asks.

“Yeah. Why do you ask?”

“Because half of us received calls about that. It has to be really bad”

“I’m sure our first responders know to handle the situation” Grace assures him, although she can’t deny that worry gnaws at her. 

“Yeah…” they don’t talk about it anymore because Grace picks up and talks to the next caller. But her thoughts don’t stray far. Her husband is on his way there after all. 

* * *

The crew's doing their own things, TK and Paul are in the gym lifting weights, Marjan and Mateo are in a deep conversation about who the hell knows what, and Judd's reading the newspaper he didn’t get to read when he arrived for the shift earlier in the day. His father's probably in his office, doing paperwork or thinking of new ways to improve the firehouse. They all jump at once when the alarm flares, telling them about the incident at the shopping center. As quickly as possible they all dress in their gear and jump on the ladder truck. Owen relays the information he got to the crew.

“We already know that we can expect multiple injuries. We will also see multiple deaths. Does everyone remember the color tags for triage?” Owen asks, trying to prepare the crew for what they are about to encounter. He can hear multiple yeses over his headset. “Probie, name them!”

“Red for immediate treatment. Patients labelled with this color have the priority on transport to the hospital, yellow for patients who are stable at the moment but have to be under observation and need to go to the hospital. They also have to be reassessed regularly. Green for people who will need medical treatment after the most severe injuries are treated.” Mateo lists.

“That’s right. What about black?” There’s silence in the truck.

“Black's for those who’re already deceased” Paul says gently after Mateo doesn’t answer. 

Then the radio crackles to life.

“Ladder 126 for dispatch, please come in.” If TK had to guess, he’d say it was Grace’s voice coming through the radio. A quick glance at Judd’s face confirmed it. 

“This is ladder 126 for dispatch, what’s up?” Owen answers.

“We got a few calls stating that a fire broke out at the location of the shopping mall. Please confirm upon arrival at the scene and decide whether we’ve got to send other units there”

“Copy that” Owen replies. 

A few moments later they pull up to where the shopping mall once was. TK sucks in a sharp breath. It doesn’t look good. At least three quarters of the mall have collapsed. There’s black smoke coming from the far end of building, indicating that there is indeed a fire. TK gulps. _Smoke everywhere, people crying and screaming, several alarms of cars are flaring up. Many people running around, blocking his path, clinging to him, crying and begging for help he can’t provide._ TK pulls out of the memory. This cannot happen now. 

A couple of police cruisers are already there and the officers are securing the perimeter, getting slightly or non-injured people to safety and bystanders to move away from the scene. TK thinks he can spot Carlos’ curly head running about. 

“126 for dispatch” Owen says through the radio.

“This is dispatch for 126, what’s your status?”

“Arrived at the scene, we need at least two more units, three if possible. There’s a fire which is likely to spread onto the next buildings, hundreds of casualties many of whom are still trapped in the mall.” 

“Understood, 126. We will alert units 154 and 243. Keep us updated on the progress”

“What do we do, Cap?” Marjan asks when Owen finishes up his report for dispatch. 

“TK and Marjan, you go and check for a hydrant we can connect the hose to. Judd and Paul, go up the ladder and start extinguishing the fire with the water we carried with us. Probie you survey the trees surrounding the mall and alert us if the fire takes over. We approach this as passively as possible, understood? The mall can’t be salvaged anyway, we only want to stop the damage from spreading to any other buildings, cars, trees etc. around it. We’ve got at least two other units coming in. The 154 will help with extinguishing, they’ll be on the other side. The 243 will go in and try to get the people trapped out. Go, but be safe. I want everyone alive at the end of this.” They all jump out of the truck and TK together with Marjan grabs a couple of hoses as well as the tools they need and makes his way to the street to see if they can find a hydrant. According to the map, there is one around the corner. 

“TK, here it is!” Marjan yells and waves him over. TK starts to work on it, but no water comes out.

“Shit” he curses. “It isn’t working” he exchanges a glance with Marjan who looks at him in surprise before radioing.

“Marjan, to everyone. The hydrant isn't working. I repeat the hydrant is _not_ working.”

“There’s supposed to be another one down the street from where we parked the truck, so the other direction from where you are right now” Paul’s voice comes over the radio. Bless him and his perceptiveness, TK thinks. 

“Try that one” Captain’s voice adds.

“Copy” Marjan replies. Together they gather the hoses and tools and hurry down the road. Sure enough there is a hydrant. It is blocked by a big tree root. 

“I haven’t got any water left” Judd’s voice comes over the radio. TK and Marjan exchange a glance. This isn’t good. The flames are licking high in the sky and the black smoke has intensified. Judd on the ladder’s barely visible anymore. 

“The trees next to building caught on fire” Mateo chimes in. As if on cue, Marjan and TK start working on the new hydrant faster. Uneasiness settles in TK’s stomach it’s been a while since they had such a difficult call. _Smoke clouding his vision, the wail of a man rings loudly in his ears, he reaches out, tries to free him, he can’t, the man’s stuck, one frantic look around him, shouting for help, but there is none. Taking a shuddering breath, closing his eyes to think about his next step, concentrating so hard. Trying to let his instincts tell him what to do. He’s alone, alone, alone and he can’t help. Helpless._

“TK!” Marjan hisses. He shakes his head to get rid of the memories.

“Sorry” he mumbles, trying to refocus.

“Probie, just make sure there aren’t any people there. We don’t have water right now to extinguish that particular fire. Marjan, TK, status update!”

“Working on it, Cap. We’re at the new hydrant now.” TK replies.

“Good. Judd, stay put. Have you got enough oxygen left?”

“Affirmative” Judd’s gruff reply come over the radio.

Marjan pulls and pulls on the small wheel attached to the hydrant but no water comes out. TK jumps in to help her but even together they still don’t come to a satisfying result. TK stomach clenches. He can’t believe it. How can they be out of so much luck? Two hydrants that aren’t working? This has got to be a bad joke.

“Cap, this hydrant isn’t working either” Marjan relays over the radio.

“Shit” Owen curses. TK knows his father and his Captain. It takes a lot for the latter to lose his cool and he sounds close already.

“What do we do now?” It’s Paul’s voice.

“Let me think for a second. TK, Marjan: you continue looking for another hydrant. There has to be one that is working somewhere around here. I try to get ahold of someone from the 154 or the 243” TK and Marjan pack up once again. His thighs are already burning from the exertion of running around in his heavy, protective gear.

“Status report: the 243 are transferring their water into our tank so Paul and Judd have more water until TK and Marjan find a working hydrant. The 154 pulled up on the other side of the building and started hosing from there. They’ve found a hydrant.” TK gets out the crumbled paper with the map on it. Marjan looks over his shoulder as the try to make out where the closest hydrant is. 

“I’ve got no water anymore, again” Judd shouts over the radio. TK curses vehemently. 

“This is a real shit show” he mumbles and throws a glance at the building. The 154 is trying to put the fire out with their hose over their ladder but they’re further away than Judd and Paul are. It’s only helping a little. Time's running out and they need to find a hydrant now. _Nobody’s there to help him, he’s on his own, doesn’t know what to do, how to help but he wants to. Smoke thickens and he has to remember to breathe calmly, he has his mask on, there’s no danger of him suffocating or inhaling smoke, he only has to convince his brain of that. no answer from the other, there’s static on the radio. He tries not to panic, again. Logically, he knows what to do, how to behave. To convince his body to do as his brain says is something entirely different._

“The 243 are already sending people in, we need to find a hydrant for ourselves. What’s the situation?” the captain asks.

“Still no luck, Cap. We are…”

“TK, there!” Marjan interrupts and points across the street. Relief floods through him when he spots the hydrant.

“We’ve found another one, Cap!” TK shouts through the radio. “Hang on guys. This one has got to work.” They run across the street and open the valve. Water splashes out.

“Yes!” Marjan whoops.

“Hydrant is working, water should come!” TK relays as he connects the hose. Judd confirms a few seconds later. Marjan holds up her hand and TK high fives with her. 

“One thing down, a million to go” Marjan sighs. TK nods, gathering the tools and following Marjan back to the truck. She moves on, helping a woman stumbling into her arms.

“I’ve got this TK. You move on” she assures him. He nods in reply. _Screams filling the air, sirens and car horns are penetrating the air. Pulling a closed doors, trying to break through windows. Urging him to stay conscious, wanting to take his pain away but not being able to do so. Frustration gnaws at him, wants to take over, he can’t let it. Not here, not now. Pushing and pulling but nothing moves. Help. He’s failing. Someone steps up to him, a beacon of light and hope amidst the chaos._

He barely registers the movement.

“TK, son, you alright?” his father says, forcing him to stop. They usually manage to keep their personal relationship and their work relationship separate, but right now, Owen is speaking as his father, not as his Captain. TK shakes his head, finding it difficult to breathe. Everything reminds him way too much of his first call in New York after finishing the academy. Their eyes meet and Owen nods in understanding. He remembers, too.

“Take a breather, five minutes, sit down and calm down. The fire is under control between the 154 and the rest of us. When you’re better come back. There’s no need to endanger yourself nor the rest of us with where your head’s at right now.” he orders. And there he is, his Captain. His words are direct but truthful. TK is self-aware enough to recognise that. 

“Yes, copy that” he turns around and makes his way past the triage canvases, past the barrier tape and sits down on the sidewalk. He takes off his helmet and buries his head in his hands. He sits there for a couple of minutes before he feels movement to his left and then someone’s sitting next to him. He tilts his head to the side and looks at the man sitting on his left.

“Carlos” he croaks. He knows they shouldn’t hug, or show affection for that matter. They’re on the job after all, but his whole body aches for the other man. To be in his arms, to have someone to hold onto. Carlos looks at him, affection and understanding in his brown eyes. He places a hand on TK’s shoulder. Carlos knows the limits of how physical they can get on a scene. This is the next best thing though, and it has to be enough. At least for now. TK takes all the comfort he can get right now. Tonight though, he’ll take the hug he so desperately needs. 

“What can I do?” 

“Can you just sit with me for a few more minutes?” Carlos nods but remains silent. He knows as well as anyone else here that whatever he says would be nothing but empty words. No one wants that. They sit there for a couple more minute until TK gets up, sighing heavily. 

“Better go back to work” he tells Carlos and offers him a hand. After Carlos takes it he pulls him up. “Can I see you tonight? I get off at ten” 

“Yeah, I’m off at nine. You can come to my place after your shift. I’ll make us dinner if that’s alright with you” TK nods. He casts a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure nobody’s watching and then leans in to give Carlos a quick peck on the cheek. The smile he receives in response is warm and private. Butterflies erupt in his stomach.

“Thank you. See you later” he says and walks back onto the scene putting on his helmet. He comes across his father.

“You better?” he asks.

“Yeah, Carlos joined me for a bit there” when he looks at his father’s expression it hits him.

“You told him to check up on me?”

“We crossed paths and I told him you had to step out for a bit there. He went on his own accord. He’s a good man”

“Yeah, I know he is. Thanks, Dad” TK replies and goes back to work. The fire had been mainly extinguished in the couple of minutes he was gone and now it’s about getting the remaining people and bodies out of the building. All in all, it’s a gruelling shift. They recover a lot of bodies but rescue even more. Eventually, after 8 more hours of firefighting and getting people out from the ruins, they hand over the scene to the police and drive back to the station. It’s silent in the truck. Nobody talks, because they’re all bone-tired. TK’s glad when he gets out of his uniform and under the hot shower. He dresses quickly afterwards, says goodbye to the crew, as well as his dad before he’s on his way to a dinner and his boyfriend. He sighs in relief.

* * *

“It reminded me of my first call back in NYC, after I finished the academy” TK begins tentatively. He doesn’t know why but he feels the need to talk about it. And his boyfriend's a great listener. Carlos stops what he’s doing and turns around to face TK.

“Go on” he encourages. 

“We were called to a collapsed parking garage attached to a big shopping mall. Multiple DOAs, we had to triage as well because there were so many people trapped and injured. I was further in the back and was working on a car with a family. Parents and their two kids. The girl was about 5 I reckon, the boy probably just turned one. The mother was DOA as well as the son. The car’s passenger side had been squashed by the crumbling walls. I could barely make them out. There was also a fire on the level below and the smoke as well as the fumes rose up making it difficult to see things.” TK gulps and licks his lips to wet them. He has to stop for a minute to collect himself. Even after all these years, this particular call has stuck with him.

“You don’t have to tell me, TK”

“That’s the thing. I want to, I just need some time. It’s been a few years since I’ve talked or thought about it, really.” Carlos nods and turns around to continue cutting the vegetables for their dinner. TK’s glad. He knows that Carlos is still listening but it’s easier to talk to his back than to have to look into those warm brown eyes.

“Anyways, the daughter in the backseat was unconscious but had a steady pulse and other than a cut on her forehead there weren’t any other visible injuries. I knew that wasn’t enough but it focused me on her father. He was stuck behind the steering wheel, howling in pain and calling out for his wife and children. But mainly he was just screaming because of the pain his injuries caused. I couldn’t get ahold of a paramedic. They were all busy with other cases on various parking decks. I hadn’t done my EMT certification yet. The only real _medical_ experience I had, was from the first aid course I did when I got my driver’s license. I ran to the truck and got the jaws. I didn’t encounter anyone from my crew and over the radio I got no response. It was always occupied. I was on my own but I couldn’t think about that or how scared I was just because this was my first call. The family needed me. So I got there and cut the father free. Luckily, an emergency doctor walked by. She came with me and confirmed what I suspected. The mother and the toddler were dead. She was able to give the father pain relief and sedated him, so I could cut him free. What we both didn’t know and also didn’t see was the metal pole that was stuck in his side. Once we moved him, the rebar was yanked from him and he started bleeding out. There was nothing we could do for him anymore. He bled out right in front of my eyes, under my hands. It was then that the rest of my crew and a couple paramedics came to help me. Turns out my radio wasn’t working properly which is why they never heard me. But they were there and together we got the girl out. I later heard that she survived, but at what cost? She lost her parents and brother that day and what did I do? Nothing to help either of them.” TK clears his throat. It isn’t until Carlos moves around the kitchen island and hugs him, that he realises that he’s crying. 

“I’m sorry” he says a little embarrassed.

“Don’t be. That must’ve been a horrible first call.” Carlos replies and rubs his back.

“It was, took me some time to deal with it. But I managed. Today just reminded me of it. The call was just too similar.”, he explains.

“Yeah, I get that. Thank you for telling me, TK. You’re really brave for doing so.” Carlos takes a step back but keeps his hands on TK’s shoulder. “Will you be okay though?”

“Yes, as long as you’re still cooking for me” he smiles at his boyfriend who chuckles.

“Oh, absolutely. Dinner will be ready in 10” he replies and moves back to the stove.

“Carlos?”

“Yes?”

“I love you” Carlos looks at him over his shoulder, smiling broadly.

“I love you, too, cariño.” And just like that, TK’s world was a little brighter.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on Tumblr if you want!
> 
> I wouldn't mind a comment/suggestion for improvement! :)


End file.
